Edge of a Bottle
by EraseAlpha
Summary: Jane has just started in this school. At first she is lonesome and bullied as the new girl but eventually she makes friends with one Roxy Lalonde. What she doesn't know is that Roxy has a bit of a drinking problem.
1. Chapter 1

Her name was Jane Crocker and she had always liked adventure.

Until the present day at least.

She had just moved into that neighborhood, right before the start of the school year. She thought it would be fun, meeting new people and places.

As she sat inside the bathroom stall, at the end of her first week of school, crying her eyes out, she realized she was dead wrong.

It was her junior year and everyone in her class already knew each other. Cliques and gangs made up her classes. Being the new girl was the worst possible thing.

When this girl (Meenah something) had knocked her tray to the ground during lunch, Jane broke down and hid herself in the less used bathroom she knew of.

She'd never seen anyone use these lavatories (the sole window was missing it's glass, making the tiny room as chilly as outside), which just made it more surprising when the door slammed open.

Jane let out a loud squeak. The footsteps outside stopped.

"Sorry about that." She heard. The voice seemed unfamiliar and it was certainly none of the girls that had teased her previously.

Jane realized she couldn't stay in the bathroom all day so she opened the door a sliver. Not recognizing the girl with blonde hair, she stepped outside.

"Oh hey!" said the girl, giving Jane a bright smile "You just transferred here right? I'm Roxy."

"Hi Roxy." Muttered Jane.

"Hey, why aren't you eating lunch?" asked Roxy, sitting on the sink counter and swinging her legs. She was beaming at Jane, the warmest smile she had seen all week.

"I could ask you the same question." Said Jane, half-hiding behind the stall door "What are you doing here anyway?"

Roxy's smile faltered for a split second.

"I like the fresh air."

"The fresh air."

"Yup. Your turn. Why are you hiding in the bathroom instead of noming food."

Jane wanted to protest she wasn't hiding but she didn't.

"I forgot to bring lunch. Or any money."

Roxy struck her palm with her fist.

"Hey, I have an extra lunch, you can have it."

Jane's eyebrows shot up.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, my mom always packs me lunch, even though I just eat in the cafeteria. Hey, you can sit with me and my homies!"

"I don't know if I can-"

"Oh come on, it'll be fun!"

Roxy jumped off the counter and grabbed Jane's wrist, dragging her out of the bathroom and heading towards the cafeteria.

Jane could feel a smile trying to break out.

"This is Dirk, if he doesn't respond he's not ignoring you, he's just being Dirk, and this is Jake, he's a doofus-"

"Hey!"

"He likes skulls and shit, and I'm Roxy."

"We've met." Says Jane, giggling.

Dirk flashes her a quick smirk. Jake is still fuming at Roxy.

Jane looks down at the PB&J and carton of chocolate milk in front of her.

"Thanks for giving me your lunch Roxy, that was terribly nice of you."

"Hey, not like I was gonna eat it. Usually I throw it away."

"Doesn't your mother get upset."

"I don't know."

Jane opened her mouth to ask but Roxy was already prattling on about how the upcoming math test was so soon. Jane took a bite out of the sandwich and smiled.

School would surely be better down.

After lunch, Jane and Roxy headed for English class. Jane sat down next to Roxy.

It was comforting.

She watched her during class, the way her eyes glazed over when she wasn't paying attention, the way she bit her lip while taking notes, the slow rise of her chest as she breathed-

"Ms. Crocker, are you paying attention?"

"Yes ma'am!"

"Well then, care to explain what was the author's intent with this paragraph?"

"…Err…"

Jane sat outside, under the big oak that shaded over the school. The breeze made her hair flutter.

It was starting to get colder.

She closed her eyes and sighed. It had been a rough week. Hopefully it wouldn't be so bad now that she found her spot in the class.

"Hey little lady, what are we doing here?"

As if on cue, Roxy walked over to her and sat down.

"Waiting for my dad."

Jane smilled slightly, looking over Roxy's features. Roxy beamed at her.

"What were you daydreaming about in English?"

Heat spread through Jane's face as she tried to find the words to respond.

"I wasn't daydreaming, I was just distracted!" she barked. Roxy leaned away from her, eyebrows almost reaching her hairline.

"Gee, sorry."

She smirked and quirked a brow.

"But just so you know, no one is that distracted without thinking of anything."

She elbowed Jane in the ribs.

"Come on, feel free to share."

Jane was turning more scarlet by every second.

"Well, what were you doing in the bathroom?"

Roxy's smile disappeared.

"I was getting fresh air."

"No one goes to a _bathroom_ to get fresh air."

"Good point."

Roxy sighed and brushed back her bangs.

"If you don't prod me about the bathroom, I won't prod you about the daydreaming. Or why _you_ were in the bathroom."

"It's a deal."

Dad's car turned around the corner and Jane got up.

"Would you like my dad to drive you home?"

Roxy shook her head.

"My mom will be here any minute now."

Jane smiled and skipped away, waving at Roxy. She climbed into Dad's car, giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

"Who's your friend?" he asked.

"That's Roxy! She-" Jane stopped herself from confessing about the bullying "She showed me around the school a bit more and we have a few classes together."

Dad seemed pensive.

"She has a sad look to her."

"Dad, what are you talking about." Huffed Jane "She's almost the happiest person I've met."

He shrugged and started to drive. As they passed by the oak, Jane inspected Roxy, who was looking far away to nothing in particular.

Perhaps Dad wasn't entirely wrong.

The day after, Jane didn't see Roxy, not until the very end, after she left Math. Roxy had missed the classes they had together and when Jane noticed a flash of distinctive blond she had to investigate.

She had spent her day with Dirk and Jake, who were unaware of Roxy's whereabouts too (or they were just good at lying), but now that she treaded along the empty hallway, she felt very lonesome, the same as when one of her classmates made her trip in Science class on her fourth day of school.

She had never been to this part of the school before.

It was a long hallway that ended with huge double doors (there were no other exits) and a few of the light fixtures were non-functional.

It was a sinister atmosphere.

She could see light bellow the double doors.

She creeped towards them, light on her feet. She tapped once, twice, three times on the wood and as no one answered, she opened the doors.

Inside, Roxy was sitting on a table, looking towards the big windows.

It was getting late, the sun was setting.

Roxy's hair seemed almost pink bathed in the sunlight. The already short skirt she wore was riding up, exposing the edge of her stockings. She raised her arm, a small bottle in hand.

"Hey Janey."

"How did you know it was me?"

Roxy chuckled deeply.

"You're not exactly stealthy.

Jane would never stop being surprised at how easily Roxy made her blush. She walked over to Roxy, carefully taking each step.

"What are you drinking?"

"Vodka."

"Oh. Just vodka?"

"Pretty much."

Jane took a seat next to her.

"Why?"

"I just felt like it. It's not a lot, look it's tiny."

"Is this why you skipped class?"

Roxy looked at Jane, she really looked at her, searching her eyes for something she didn't seem to find. Her expression relaxed.

"School just really fucking sucks sometimes."

"I see."

Roxy cocked her head to the side, a lazy smile spreading through her face.

"You're not actually drunk are you?" asked Jane, eyebrows furrowed. Roxy shook her head.

"I'm glad you're here. No one ever bothered to try and find me before."

"Oh."

"Isn't your dad waiting for you?"

"He's busy at work, I'm walking home."

Roxy got up and walked around. Jane decided to actually look at the room they were in. It was large with complicated looking tables and high seats.

"What kind of room is this?"

"It's the old art room." Answered Roxy. She crossed her fingers behind her head "When the new wing was built, better art rooms were made so this one fell in disuse. This was before I got here though."

"Ah."

"Jane, come here."

Jane got up and paced towards Roxy, who was standing in the middle of the room, right below the main light.

"I'm glad you came to this school."

"Oh."

She grabbed Jane's hands. Jane felt heat build up on her cheeks again.

"What are you doing…"

"There's something special about you Jane."

"I…"

"I really feel like I could trust you and it's been a while since I felt that way towards someone."

Roxy looked away.

"I must sound ridiculous; I've known you for two days."

"No, it's fine."

"Just…"

Roxy's lips brushed against Jane's and it was all cherry lipgloss with a hint of alcohol and wispy blonde hair and sweet perfume and they parted far too soon.

"I'm sorry." Muttered Roxy. Jane shook her head.

"It's fine. Everything's fine."

Roxy looked to the ground and back up at Jane.

"I should walk you home." She said, as if they hadn't just kissed and her hand was not on Jane's hip "You still don't know the area very well right? Can't let a lady walk alone and lost when it's already dark."

Jane smiled warmly and nodded.

"I'd be happy to let you walk me home."

They left the school holding hands.


	2. Chapter 2

[Recap: Jane has just started her junior year in a new school. She is lonely at first, but eventually makes friends with Roxy Lalonde. They have a moment in an abandoned classroom and Roxy kisses her]

The following two months were a blur of homework and heated lunch time discussion. After that moment in the art room, nothing romantic happened between Jane and Roxy, and Jane wasn't particularly keen on bringing it up. She assumed it had been a fluke, a spur of the moment decision after a long day.

On the first Sunday of November, Dad dropped her off in front of Dirk's apartment. She scurried up the stairs until the very last floor and knocked once with feeling. Dirk's bro opened the door. He inspected Jane from head to toes (or at least it seemed like it, Jane couldn't see his eyes behind the shades) and he looked towards the left, bellowing:

"Your new girlfriend is here, Dirky-poo!"

Jane heard fast, hard footsteps and in a second, Dirk was at the door, pushing his brother away.

"Hi Jane." He said and mumbled to his brother: "She's not my girlfriend."

Dirk's bro raised an eyebrow and gave Dirk a thumbs up as he slowly walked back into what Jane assumed was the kitchen.

"Tell me if you or your little friends need anything, sweetie pie!"

Even behind the shades Dirk looked like he was about to pass out from sheer embarrassment. He motioned to Jane to follow him.

It was the first time Jane had been to Dirk's house and she could see why he wouldn't want to have guests over. Stepping over the empty bottles of apple juice and orange soda, chip packets and shitty swords, Jane joined Jake and Roxy on the couch.

Roxy was wearing her black leggings and low cut pink shirt. Jane's eyes wandered over her before her attention shifted to Jake as he screamed out in frustration.

"This videogame of yours is an absolute horrific challenge, Strider!"

Dirk sat on the floor next to Jake and swatted at his sneakers. He picked up his own controller, previously abandoned on the floor.

"That's because you suck. Roxy has double your kills and she just got here."

Jane leaned on the arm of the futon, stretching her legs.

"Hey, what did you guys answer on the 5th question on the math test this Friday?" asked Jake, looking over Dirk and Roxy.

"A." they both answered without taking their eyes away from the screen, both tapping boringly on the controllers. Jake's eyebrows rose then lowered in defeat.

"Oh." He muttered.

"Don't worry Jake, I'm sure you can scrap by." Said Jane. She tugged at a loose string on the futon.

"I need a lot more than scrapping by if I don't want to fail math this semester." He muttered. He paused the game, to Dirk and Roxy's loud protests, and turned to Roxy, a pleading expression on his face.

"Lalonde , my dear, you wouldn't perchance be interested in tutoring me, given your expertise in the area."

"Nope, not happening."

"We could meet up in your household and I would clean your room as you instructed me in the fine arts of the numbers."

"Math isn't a fine art dumbass. And it's not gonna happen." Said Roxy, pushing back Jake's face with her hand. She swiped the controller of his hands

"And you just lost your videogame privileges." She said as she passed on the controller to Jane.

Jane unpaused the game and proceeded to headshot a zombie.

"Oh my." She said.

"Beginner's luck." Grumbled Jake, propping his head on his hand.

Dirk's bro showed up with snacks and orange soda an hour later ("Wouldn't want you little shits to starve, your parents would be all up in my ass." Dirk had scoffed and Roxy had made a weird dismissive sound.) and by the time they got bored of the game it was already evening and Dad was calling Jane's cell.

"I'll be right down, Dad!" chirped Jane. She pocketed her cellphone and glanced around the room.

"Do you guys want to meet up at my house after school tomorrow? I thought I could bake you all cupcakes!"

Jake and Dirk gaped at Jane. Jake shook his fists with a goofy grin on his face and even Dirk was smiling.

"Yes, of course, consider it a date my lady!"

"I guess cupcakes are cool…Can you make orange zest?"

Jane looked at Roxy who smiled weakly.

"Sure, why not."

Jane smiled brightly and she hugged Roxy.

"Oh, it'll be so much fun!"

"I'm sure it will be, but you're sorta crushing me."

"Sorry." Jane giggled and unhanded Roxy "I must go now, though, I've already kept my Dad waiting for far too long."

"Goodbye, Ms. Crocker!"

"See ya Jane."

"…Bye, Janey."

Monday morning rolled around and Jane was surprised to see Roxy wasn't in English class. She looked at Dirk, who sat in the very back of the classroom. He shrugged and looked at the classroom clock. Jane pouted at him and turned forward.

By lunch time, no one had seen Roxy at all.

Dirk threw a chip full of dip at Jake's back, where it got stuck. Jake's attempts to take it off comically made him look like an itchy chimp. Jane shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"Isn't anyone at least a bit worried about Roxy?"

Dirk shrugged.

"Not the first time she bailed on us."

"She could be sick. She could be hurt!"

Dirk raised his glasses over his forehead and rubbed his eyes.

"Look Jane, maybe it's for the best if you left Roxy alone."

Jake had succeeded in getting most of the dip off his jacket and was looking somberly at Dirk, who glanced towards him. Jake cleared his throat.

"You don't know her-You haven't known her as long as we have."

Jane's eyebrows furrowed as she looked from Dirk to Jake to Dirk.

The bell rang. Students started leaving the lunch room. Meenah Something tripped a freshman and her friend berated her.

Dirk got up and slung his backpack over his shoulder, waving at Jake and Jane as he headed for AP Computer Sciences. Jane glared at Jake over her glasses.

"Let's go Jake. We wouldn't want to be late for Spanish would we?"

Jake glanced around nervously only to drop his head in defeat as he failed to discover an escape route.

Jane tapped her pencil against the desk, her notes long forgotten. She turned to Jake, who was a few desks away, scribbling like a mad man, and pulled out her cellphone.

GG: Jake, I'm rather keen on visiting Roxy.

Jake visibly jumped as his cellphone vibrated and he scurried to take it out.

GT: My fucking god Jane would you give it a rest? Ms. Lalonde is perfectly fine you shouldnt concern yourself.

GG: I just want her address, just to check on her!

GT: There's no point shes fine she skipped school all the time last year.

"Señora Crocker, si Lola fue al cine con sus amigas, pero se perdió en el camino, ¿qué debe hacer?"

"Err, Lola debe utilizar su teléfono celular para llamar a su madre"

"Muy bien, señora Crocker."

GG: You can't possibly be serious. What does her mother think of her missing so many days of school?

GT: Well her mother doesn't really know.

GG: How can she possibly not know, surely the school has called her at some point?

"Señor English, si Pedro quiere ir a jugar al fútbol con sus amigos, pero tiene un montón de tareas, ¿qué debe hacer?"

"Uh, ah, hrm, Pedro debe, uh, hacer sus tareas muy rápido."

"Muy bien, señor English."

GT: Well

GT: I

GT: You should just

GT: Gosh Jane

The bell rang like a cry of angels for Jake English.

"Señores e señoras, esperen! Roxy Lalonde no estuviera aquí hoy, nadie podía darle la tarea? Es por la mañana."

Jane's arm shot up and Jake made a sound like a dying animal.

"I can do it!"

"En español?"

"Uhm, yo puedo hacerlo."

"Gracias, señora Crocker."

"Oh my god, you are unbelievable." Said Dirk as he rubbed his face tiredly. He glared at Jake, who shrugged.

"I'm simply going to bring her homework. "

"You never do anything simple."

"Well, now that Jake has given me her address-"

Dirk frowned at Jake.

"I'm just going to stop by, leave her homework and go home. I promise." Said Jane.

"Wait, right now?" asked Jake "What about the cupcakes?"

"We'll have to reschedule, perhaps when Roxy is available!"

Jane beamed at them and skipped off to get her things from her locker and leave for Roxy's.

"But…Orange zest." Whined Dirk. He reached out and slapped the back of Jake's head.

"This is all your fault."

Jane jumped into her shiny new bike and rode off. Ever since Dad started on his new job, he was a lot busier. The bike was a great idea; Jane certainly liked it better than the bus.

It was amusingly pink though. Roxy would like it. Just as the thought crossed Jane's mind, she found Roxy's house.

"Oh." She said, as she stood in front of the mansion.

She tentatively got off her bike and rang the bell.

A cheery voice erupted from the speakers.

"Lalonde Home, how can we help you?"

"I'm a friend of Roxy's? I have some of her homework to give her? It's Jane!"

"Oh, oh my, this is-I'll go see if the lady is taking guests at the moment-"

The speaker went static and turned off.

Jane looked around from outside the gate. There was a well-tended garden full of roses and violets, a small lake where specks of white swum (carp?) and stone paths. She could make out a gazebo in the distance.

_How big is this place_, thought Jane as she stood on her tip toes.

"I'm sorry, but Miss Roxy is feeling ill at the moment, though she sends her regards and wishes you the best." Sounded the speaker. Jane huffed and placed her hands on her hips. She looked around.

There had to be a way to get in.

"This is a stupid idea." Said the logical part of Jane's mind.

"Oh, shush you." Responded Jane.

She felt a little weird for talking to herself.

Hoping onto her bike for speed, she circled around the house until she found a door.

_It must be the servant entrance_, wondered Jane. She dropped her bike by the door and edged towards it. She gave a tentative pull on the knob.

It was unlocked.

She jumped inside and closed the door. It went directly to the garden, where a path of gravel and stone led to the main house. Jane ran up the path as fast and stealthily as possible.

She reached the end of the house, a finely decorated full wood door. She bit her lip, it would much harder to avoid whoever was in the house besides Roxy. She began to doubt her envoy into the mansion.

Jane took a deep breath and opened the door, walking in and closing it behind her.

The coast was clear. She found herself in the kitchen. It was brightly lit and spacious, with an amazing oven, but it felt cold and lifeless. Jane felt shivers down her spine. She carefully walked out the kitchen and up the stairs, avoiding the person who had answered the door or anyone else really.

Jane imagined cooks and maids and butlers. Given how decorated and expensive looking the house was, she didn't find it farfetched.

Reaching the top floor, a wave of panic fell over her. Doors and doors and doors, all the eyes could see.

How would she find Roxy's room without running into anyone else?

She tiptoed along the floor, trying to find a sign.

A light at the end of the tunnel presented itself as a literal light shined bellow a door. Jane looked around nervously. It didn't seem like any other lights were on.

She took a deep breath and opened the door only to find jack shit.

Her jaw fell as she inspected the room. It was just a simple laundry room. The washing machine wasn't even on.

She sighed in defeat and closed the door, walked back to where she came from. That's when the noticed the door covered in glitter and kitty stickers.

At that moment, Jane Crocker felt very stupid.

She headed for the door but stopped herself.

_I wouldn't want to catch Roxy indecent,_ she thought and promptly began to blush furiously.

She knocked on the door.

"I'm fine" slurred Roxy "I don't need anything, just go away."

Jane fidgeted around.

"Roxy?"

For a moment that extended awkwardly, there was silence.

"Jane?" asked Roxy "I told the maid to send you away, what are you doin' here?"

Roxy sounded uncomfortably unfamiliar.

"I sort of…" Jane cleared her throat "Snuck in."

The door opened and Jane had to stop herself from gasping. Roxy looked pitiable with running makeup and mussed hair. Jane's eyes travelled down and she noticed Roxy was wearing the same clothes as the day before.

"You crazy motherfucker." Said Roxy, before grabbing Jane's wrist and pulling her in.

Roxy closed the door and stood there as Jane walked around the room. It was disheveled and full of empty liquor bottles.

"Roxy…Are you…"

Jane shuffled on her feet nervously, staring at the ground. She could feel Roxy's glaring at her.

"Are you drunk?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

The nonchalant confession startled Jane. She looked up at Roxy, who shrugged.

"Where's your mom, Roxy?"

"Not here, that's for sure."

Jane sat down on Roxy's bed and patted the spot besides her. Roxy raised an eyebrow and leaned back against the door, crossing her arms.

"What are you even doing here?" she asked.

"I got…Your homework. For Spanish."

"Are you serious."

"Well, no." said Jane, rubbing the back of her neck "I was worried about you Roxy."

"You don't have to worry!" barked Roxy, standing upright, hands clenching into fists. Jane regretted sitting down.

"You didn't show up all day…" she muttered "Roxy, your mom isn't home, who even takes care of you?"

Roxy walked over to Jane, baring her teeth.

"I don't need anyone to take care of me!"

The stench of alcohol was sickening.

"Well, who answered me on the speaker?"

"The maid."

"Who else works here?"

"Two other maids, no one else."

"What about your lunch, your mother always packs you an extra lunch."

"Mom paid the maids extra. Doesn't take a chef to make a sandwich."

"Roxy, where is your mom?"

"I don't know!" screamed Roxy, kicking a bed. It shattered against the wall, Jane froze.

"She's probably in France or Spain or Portugal, signing autographs to her loyal fans and leaving me here-" tears were streaming down her face "-alone in the biggest fucking house money could buy."

Roxy stopped moving, she didn't even seem to be breathing. Jane felt like hours passed before Roxy turned around and collapsed next to her.

"I told her I could take care of myself and I was wrong."

Against her better judgment, Jane lied down and wrapped her arms around her.


	3. Chapter 3

It was now December and Roxy Lalonde felt like punching someone in the throat.

White flecks fell from cloudy skies, covering the garden and path ways. The garden caretakers were currently shoveling snow out of the main path. Roxy looked out of the window of her bedroom, chin propped on her hand and a vacant expression on her face. She glanced over at her cellphone on the window sill, still as inanimate as last time she checked and sighed.

Ever since that evening when Jane had (sweetly) broken into her house and found out about her alcohol issue and her mother's tour, she had been calling Roxy every day. Roxy recalled the night as both a cherished memory and a terrible endeavor. She had laid her secrets bare in front of her best friend and she had accepted her with open arms. Roxy had told her everything, her mother's books and her annual tour around the world, how she had refused all help despite her mother's protests...

The point was, Jane knew all of Roxy's secrets and the thought caused butterflies in her stomach, not always in a good way.

Jane called her every day, especially on the weekends.

The cellphone vibrated and Roxy lunged for it.

"Hello!" called out Roxy. She let herself slid to the floor, leaning back on the wall bellow the window.

"Ah, yes, Miss Lalonde my dear, could you perhaps give me the answers to this week's maths assignment." asked Jake.

Roxy took a good hard look at her phone.

"Oh, fuck you English."

"Erm, very well then, I'll just-"

Roxy hung up and flopped over, lying on her stomach on the floor. She poked the cellphone and groaned. Getting up, she placed it on the window sill and paced around. It was becoming clear Jane was not going to call her.

After dinner, she occupied herself with beating Earthbound for the 24th time.

Roxy almost couldn't hear the cellphone over her headphones and only realized it was vibrating when it fell off the window sill. She jumped off the stack of pillows she was lying on, accidentally unplugging her headphones, tripping on a stray cat plushie and falling over. She dragged herself to the phone in the nick of time and a huge grin spread on her face when she saw the name of the caller.

"Jane!"

"Well, aren't you happy to see me? I mean, hear me, hoo hoo."

"You have no idea." muttered Roxy, rolling on her back "What's up?"

"I'm sorry I'm calling so late, I spent all day baking with my dad."

Roxy chuckled.

"It's fine, girl. Who am I to come between a woman and her pastries."

"I was talking to my dad and...Your mother won't be home for Christmas right?"

Roxy grimaced.

"Nope."

"Then why don't you spend Christmas with me and my dad!"

Roxy's jaw dropped. She rolled to her stomach and poked around a hole in the carpet.

"I don't want to bother your family, geez."

"Roxy, it's no bother at all! I mean, it's just the two of us, we'd be glad to have you here! Plus, I'd be upset if you had to spend Christmas by yourself. That wouldn't be fit of a best friend."

There was a pang of pain in Roxy's chest as she heard the word friend and she rolled to her side, barely hanging on to the phone.

"Yeah, I guess I could go over there."

"Fantastic! You can stay here from the 23rd to New Years! It will be like a really long sleepover!"

Roxy chuckled.

"Sounds amazing."

If there was anything that could be said about Jane's dad, is that he was a really nice guy.

That and he had a really nice ass.

Roxy stood in front of the Crocker residence. Despite having been here several times before, it felt very different this time. Mr. Crocker removed her suitcase from the trunk of the car. Roxy tried to object but he waved her off and carried it to the front door. Roxy followed behind, lower face covered by her scarf. The weather only seemed to get harsher and harsher.

Stepping inside of Jane's house was comforting in the way only a home could be. It was much, much warmer than the outside, to a suffocating degree even. Roxy ripped her scarf and coat off. She turned to ask Mr. Crocker where she could put them but he had already gone up the stairs, supposedly to store her suitcase. Roxy found the hanger by herself. She paused to take a deep whiff of the air. She followed the scent to the kitchen where Jane was racing around.

"Hey." Said Roxy, leaning against the doorway. Jane jumped a few inches in the air, turning around clutching her chest.

"Roxy!"

"Honey, I'm home."

"Oh, very funny! You actually scared me you know?"

"Sorry." Said Roxy, a smirk pulling on her lips "What are we baking?"

"We are not baking anything. You can sit at the table while I make Christmas cookies."

"But I want to help!"

"Yeah, last time you helped me, I was scrubbing chocolate batter off the walls for a week."

"You're no fun."

Nevertheless, Roxy sat on the counter, swinging her feet.

"Don't kick the counters."

"I'm not!"

Roxy's cellphone rang and she checked it out. A pang of guilt struck her gut as she realized it was her mother calling. She swallowed hard and turned down the call, putting her phone in silence.

"Who was that?" asked Jane, cracking eggs over a bowl.

"No one, just an alarm I set and forgot to turn off. Hey, do we have any eggnog?"

Jane glared at Roxy as she stirred a batch of cinnamon batter.

"Roxy, you can't drink while you're here. My dad would be upset."

"Oh." muttered Roxy. It was then she realized she did not thin k this through.

"Yohoho."

"It's hohoho, dumbass, yohoho is a pirate."

"Whatever, Rox." Muttered Dirk. He snapped the head of a ginger man off. "Thanks again for the cookies Jane. Sorry I can't see you two today."

"It's fine!" said Jane. She adjusted the screen of her laptop, trying to fit both herself and Roxy on the webcam.

"How's Texas?"

"Hot."

"Nice sweater by the way." Said Roxy, chuckling.

Dirk pulled on his bright green with red accents and reindeer sweater.

"Thanks, it's really comfy."

"Does it play music too?"

As if on command, a jingle began playing from Dirk's side. He stared to the side, his lips tightening. Roxy knew his browns were furrowing behind the shades. Dave popped up on webcam, his red sweater even more hideously Christmas-y, with flashing lights and yes, music.

"Hey little Lalonde and Miss Crocker. How are you this fine Christmas Eve?"

"Hey Dave."

"Hi, Mr. Strider! Everything is going great, how are you?"

"Very festive."

"We can see that." Said Roxy "Hey Dave, how about you go do whatever cool ironic shit you were up to and let us talk to Dirk alone?"

Dave opened his mouth to respond but Dirk elbowed him in the ribs.

"Yeah, but are you okay, little Lalonde?" he asked, despite the continuous rib elbowing going on.

"I'm fine. Hey, I think I hear Jane's dad calling us."

Roxy turned off the webcam. Jane looked at her, an eyebrow high and her jaw slack.

"What was that all about?"

"What?"

"You know what I'm talking about. But for starters, why does Dirk's brother always call you little Lalonde?"

Roxy flopped on her back and whined.

"Do I have to talk about it?"

"Yes."

Roxy rolled to her side and Jane lied down so they were face to face. Roxy's eyes wandered to Jane's weird posters and she frowned.

"Okay, so you know how Dirk and I have known each other since we were, like, teeny babies?"

"Yup!"

"But I never told you why. See…"

She hesitated.

"Dave and my mom were totally like BFFsies."

"Oh my god, are you serious?"

"Yeah. They met in middle school and were super close till their early twenties, we were even all living together at one point."

Roxy grimaced.

"We're still not entirely sure he's not my father."

"Oh my god, that's crazy! Did they have a falling out or something?"

"We're not entirely sure about the details because we were 5 at the time but from what we pieced together…Okay, so, Mom got pregnant with me with she was in her last year of high school right? Dirk's mom got pregnant soon after. Mom's mom throws her out in the streets and Dirk's mom takes her in. So I'm born shortly before Dirk and then there are two screaming babies in one house and I'm pretty sure my Mom got like, post-partum depression or something."

Roxy sighed and rubbed at her eyes. It was getting fairly late.

"Dave was in college and had just sold his first movie script when his parents died in that car crash. Dave had to take care of Dirk, working in the movie biz and all that jazz. Eventually my Mom started writing her book, like, seriously writing it and she and Dave got majorly pissed at each other, so Mom moved out. We were like, on the limit of poverty for like three years but then she got a deal with a publisher and her book got really popular."

Jane stared at Roxy with concern.

"That must've been rough."

"Well."

Roxy looked away.

"Like, we lived in a trashy apartment and I had no toys. I'm pretty sure at one point my Mom barely ate, either because she was so engrossed in her work or because she couldn't afford it. But…You know…It was just the two of us."

Roxy rubbed her face and groaned.

"It's stupid, never mind."

"I don't think it's stupid. I mean." Jane smiled sadly at her, placing a hand on her shoulder "You miss your mom don't you?"

"Yeah." Said Roxy, rolling on her back "I miss her."

"Hey, why don't you sleep with me tonight?"

Roxy's jaw dropped.

"I mean, you seem really tired and we're already in pajamas, let's just slip inside the covers."

"Oh."

Roxy laughed nervously.

"Yeah sure, why not."

Roxy's cellphone read 4:22 AM when she woke up in a cold sweat.

She was used to waking up all through the night, an uneasy sleeper from an early age. She remembered one time she woke up and her Mom was crying on the couch, paper scattered around her banged up laptop and the phone laying in pieces on the ground.

Jane is sleeping deeply. Her breathing is steady, her chest rising rhythmically. Roxy feels warm inside, like the hot chocolate they had after dinner still passing down her throat.

It was like a bullet through her heart, a knife to her ribs, instant and deadly, leaving her to bleed on the ground.

Roxy was so in love with this girl, it hurts.

Her lips were now on Jane's and she savored for a moment, before her brain caught up and began screaming in alarm. She pulled back, the air far too cold compared to Jane's lips, and rested back on the pillow, gazing upon her features.

Jane sighed and smiled slightly.

She was perfect.

With this final thought, Roxy drifted into a deep sleep, and abnormally, didn't wake up until the next morning.


End file.
